Just To See You Smile
by celtic7irish
Summary: "I no longer know how to laugh, as if I were happy." Sebastian sets about to change that.


"I no longer know how to laugh, as if I were happy." The words, spoken so casually, had touched a part of Sebastian that he hadn't realized he had. If demons had hearts, then perhaps that's what had happened; the boy had touched his heart. Sebastian rarely care for the humans he made contracts with. Serving humans was just another way of feeding himself, after all, and the more souls he devoured, the more powerful he became.

But something about this young boy, who had thrown away his happiness so easily in return for the power to destroy his enemies, had caught Sebastian's interest. And now he had a goal. He'd see Ciel smile, truly smile, before the boy died and his soul became just another part of the demon's power.

His vow had caused him to behave in ways most unbecoming in a demon of his rank and power, and he was nearly disgusted with himself. But that didn't change his mind, and he found himself doing a lot of things that he'd never done for anybody else before. Perhaps because this was the first time he'd ever made a contract with a child. Or perhaps it was simply because Ciel brought out some instincts in him that nobody else had been able to bring out before.

From parties to dances to practically inviting the idiocy of those morons he called Phantomhive servants, he watched carefully for signs that Ciel was enjoying himself. Mostly, though, the boy was just irritated, or indifferent. His soul had been darkened, tainted, but it was not lost, not yet. There were still sparks of light, flashing through that tainted soul, and Sebastian was intrigued. What would happen to his soul if he were able to laugh and love like the child he was? If Sebastian could give that to him?

But he was quickly growing frustrated, although it would never show outwardly. After all, if a butler of the Phantomhive couldn't hide his emotions, then what would he do? He did everything that Ciel asked, everything that he ordered, and still the boy wouldn't so much as smile for him. Occasionally, he'd manage a small smile for Elizabeth, and the girl obviously treasured those small gifts as much as Sebastian did.

Sebastian found himself wanting that smile to be directed at him. Wasn't he loyal, and hardworking, and reliable? Didn't he take care of his Young Master, and help him in his hunt for revenge? He knew that it wasn't proper for a demon to care about things like that – they served their master until the contract was fulfilled, and then devoured their soul.

Then again, Sebastian wasn't like the other demons. He was the only one that never hid his crimson eyes. Most demons preferred the more human-looking amber or gold, but Sebastian had never the point in hiding what he was – a demon and a butler. That humans couldn't see that he wasn't human was their own fault.

He sighed quietly to himself, turning back to the task at hand, adding the freshest fruit to the parfait he was making for his young master. He had harvested the berries himself, so that he could provide his young master with the freshest, largest, juiciest berries for his dessert. His ears perked as he heard those idiots outside the door. They didn't seem to remember that Sebastian had excellent hearing; it was one of the perks of being a demon.

"What's wrong with the Young Master lately?" Finnie asked plaintively. That caught Sebastian's interest; he hadn't noticed anything wrong with the Earle Phantomhive. He wasn't sick, or the demon would have known; nor was he any more depressed than was normal. So what had they noticed that he hadn't?

Maylene's worried voice was next. "I don't know, but not even Lady Elizabeth can make him smile anymore! It's like he doesn't even see her." Oh? Now this was interesting. Sebastian put the final touches on the parfait and glanced at the set of bells on the desk. So far, Ciel hadn't summoned him, so he should be safe to listen, just a little longer. Moving to just inside the door, Sebastian waited for the opportune moment to make his exit.

He could practically hear Bard rolling his eyes at the youngsters. "That's not the only problem. In case you hadn't noticed, the only one that the Young Master is interested in is Sebastian. He watches him everywhere he goes, and doesn't like to be separated from him for long. I don't know what Sebastian is to him, other than one hell of a butler, but it's sort of creepy."

Sebastian grinned viciously at the chef's appraisal of him. The others, even though they knew that the butler was strong, and could do things that no human could do, still didn't realize what he was, or why he obeyed Ciel. He wondered idly how they'd react if he told them of his demonic contract with the young man, and that Ciel had sold his soul to him in exchange for revenge on those who had hurt and humiliated him.

Still, their words had given him some food for thought. Young Master watched him, hm? He had noticed that Ciel had less patience for Elizabeth and her antics, but he had just assumed that it was from the stress of their last case. When the Queen called on her loyal dog, all he cared about was making her tears stop. It was a noble cause, even if the method was not.

He waited another split second, and then opened the swinging doors abruptly, slamming them into the faces of the three servants standing idly nearby. "If you have time to gossip, you have time to work," he rebuked them, his tone mild, even as his eyes glowed in warning. Panicking, the three scattered, nearly running over each other in their haste to get away.

Smiling to himself, Sebastian turned and glided down the hallway towards the stairs. He had better bring the parfait to his lord before it grew warm. Of course, being a demon, he naturally had an ulterior motive, but Ciel didn't know that. Although, Sebastian frowned, Ciel did have a rather suspicious mind. Then again, why wouldn't he, after what he had been through at the hands of angels and men?

Opening the door to Ciel's study, Sebastian saw his small Master dozing in the large padded swivel chair and smiled softly to himself, his eyes softening as he watched Ciel sleep. Silently, he set the parfait on the desk in front of Ciel and then moved to the boy's side, leaning down so that his mouth was right next to the boy's ear.

"Bocchan," he breathed, cajoling Ciel out of his doze. "Bocchan." With a small mumble, Ciel opened his eyes sleepily, then started awake more abruptly as he realized that Sebastian's face was right in front of his. The boy didn't blush, but scowled instead.

"This had better be good, Sebastian," he threatened, and Sebastian nodded, gesturing towards the parfait. When Ciel saw it, his eyes widened momentarily, but then went back to their normal indifferent gaze. Sebastian frowned lightly, standing at his master's side and glancing at him from under his lashes.

Ciel ate the parfait quickly, and Sebastian hid a smile; his Master was still a child, after all. He still liked sweet things. Pushing back the glass that had held the parfait, Ciel looked up at Sebastian, his eyes showing a brief flash of emotion before he switched again to indifferent. "What do we have yet for this afternoon, Sebastian?" he asked, his voice utterly bored.

Making a split-second decision, Sebastian replied, "No visitors, and no letters from the Queen are forthcoming, Bocchan. I thought that perhaps the afternoon would be better spent in more…enjoyable pursuits." Ciel just raised his eyebrows at the other man, obviously not understanding. Was Sebastian talking about playing a game or something?

Leaning down, Sebastian asked Ciel, "Tell me, Bocchan, have you ever played with a demon before?" Ciel's eyes narrowed, but there was no heat in them yet, as if he couldn't decide whether to be angry or curious. Finally, curiosity won out, and he shook his head.

Sebastian smiled. "Playing with demons isn't something a child normally gets to do," he teased, that ever-present smirk playing around his mouth. Ciel scowled at him, and Sebastian leaned a little closer, snaking out a tongue to lick some sweet yoghurt from the corner of his lips. Ciel startled, pushing back in his chair, and Sebastian chuckled, his crimson eyes sparkling. "Have you changed your mind, Bocchan?"

Ciel stared at him, his single eye wide and surprised. Reaching up, he touched the corner of his mouth, and then reached higher, touching the eye patch that hid his contract from sight. Shaking his head, his expression grew determined. With almost no warning, he removed the eye patch and launched himself at Sebastian, catching the demon in a kiss.

Sebastian responded willingly enough to his advances, and when Ciel finally broke for air, gasping, he admired the view. His Master was disheveled, his lips bruised with the kiss, and his eyes sparkling. "Did you enjoy that, Bocchan?" he asked, the answer more important to him than either of them really realized.

His breath caught as Ciel smiled at him, a blinding smile that outshone all the ones that he had shown Elizabeth over the past few years. A weight lifted from Sebastian's shoulders, and he smiled back, unable to help the triumphant smirk that emerged instead. He had won the greatest treasure of all. Not only did he hold the boy's immortal soul in his possession, but now he had Ciel's heart as well.

Ciel asked him, "How did you know?" His head was cocked to the side as he asked, genuinely curious. The demon hadn't seemed to notice his attentions at all, and then to suddenly kiss him? He was a little disconcerted. Then again, Sebastian was a demon, so who knew what he was aware of.

Sebastian replied, "If a butler of the Phantomhives couldn't do this much, where would we be?" Ciel just blinked at him, then threw his head back and laughed, the sound light and childish. Sebastian corrected himself; there was something more treasured than Ciel's smile, after all. And he knew then that he'd do everything in his power to keep that sparkle of light and laughter alive for as long as Ciel lived.

Ciel looked down at him. "Why?" he asked, and for the first time, there was only curiosity as he spoke to his demon, instead of the usual wary suspicion or harshly barked orders.

Sebastian met his eyes, crimson clashing with blue, and replied, "Because I'd do anything to see you smile, My Lord."


End file.
